Underframe turning machine



March 1 F. c. KRIETEMEYER 56 UNDERFRAME TURNING MACHINE Filed June 4, 1949 2 Shets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TOR.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 v I N VEN TOR. eaC imemqye f F. C. KRIETEMEYER UNDERFRAME TURNING MACHINE March 16, 1954 Filed June 4, 1949 Patented Mar. 16, 1954 UNITED STATS PATNT OFFICE UNDERFRAME TURNING MACHINE Fred C. Krietemeyer, Centralia, Ill.

Application June 4, 1949, Serial No. 97,261

Claims.

This invention relates to a portable device for turning over railway car underframes during the assembling of the various parts comprising the same by welding or otherwise.

In the building of railway car underframes the various parts thereof, such as the center sills, bolsters, cross members, etc., are grouped together on a jig and welded together on one side, after which the parts so partially united are turned over as a unit and then the welding completed on the outer side of the underframe. The now common practice of turning over such partially welded underframes is by means of overhead cranes, usually requiring two of such cranes, each at an end of the underframe. This ties up the service of such cranes at other parts of the erecting shop while each underframe is being turned over and slows down appreciably any building program going on in the car shop. An object of the invention, therefore, is the provision of a portable device which may be moved to the approximate longitudinal center of the car un derframe and simultaneously raise and turn over said underframe, without the use of any overhead cranes whatever.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a relatively simple and economic device by which heavy railroad car underframes may be readily turned over when desired.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear in the following description thereof.

Referring now to the accompanying drawing forming part of this application and wherein like reference characters indicate like parts:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my improved railroad car underframe turning machine.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. l, with the manipulating rolls partially revolved.

Fig. 4 is an end view of Fig. 1.

In the drawings, the chassis of the underframe turning device comprises two pairs of spaced truck-like frame members |l and 2-2, each held in spaced relation, near their respective outer ends, by a channel 3. The leg 4 of an L-shaped member is butt welded to the outer surface of each frame member near the outer ends thereof so as to form a yoke for supporting the wheels 5 of the chassis upon which the device is moved from place to place. A platform 6 spans the space between the frame members l--l and 2-2 and at the corners of said platform are provided upstanding somewhat triangularly shaped walls 1, each of which walls is riveted, as at 8, to its respective frame member l-| or 2-2, to form pivotal connections occurring approximately mid way between the ends of said frame members.

Centrally disposed upon platform 6 is fixed an air or fluid cylinder 9 having an air or fluid supply connection [0 and a piston H which is telescopically mounted in and forced axially from said cylinder upon application of fluid thereto through connection I0. Links [2 are pivotally connected at one end, as at l3, to the inner ends of frame members i-l and 2-2, and said links are also pivotally connected, as at M, at their opposite ends to the spaced upper frame members 15. A rectangular plate l5 spans the space between said members 15 and the ends of said plate It are secured to the upper edges of said members centrally thereof. The top of piston I is also secured to the under surface of said plate I6, so as to move therewith. The ends of said frame members l5 are provided with registering holes through which extend axles ll and at the outer ends of said axles are supported the flanged wheels [8. These wheels 58 rollably support the spaced U-frames I9, which are held in proper spaced relation by the long bolts 29. The central openings in the U-frames l9 are substantially. rectangular, except that the inner corners are provided with extended solts 2i to receive the flange or flanges of a railway car center sill therein. About two-thirds of the outer periphery of said U-frames is circular, and terminate in a reverse curve of a radius equal to that of the wheels It, to stop the rolling of said frames [9 on wheels !8 after a maximum rev0lution of in one direction.

A pair of radius rods or arms 22 are fixed at one end to each channel 3 and project outwardly therefrom, and the outer ends of said rods 22 are secured together and provided with a hole there through to receive the hook 23 at one end of chain 24, the other end of said chain being attached to a bridle 25, extending over one of the upper bolts 20 and to opposite ends of a long hook member 26 hooked over the other upper bolt 20, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

A stiff-leg stop 21 is pivoted at 23 at one end to one of the spaced frames [9 and swings on as shown in dotted lines at 29, and compressed air or fluid is admitted through connection If), piston II will be forced from cylinder 9, raising or elevating upper frame members 15 and wheels 18, and thereby the U-frames [9. Since links [2 tie the upper and lower frames together, as the piston I l rises, it will cause the adjacent ends of lower frame members |-l and 22 to also rise, thereby also elevating the cylinder 9. Since the chain 24 is of fixed length, as the U-frames l9 rise, they will be caused to rotate, as shown in Fig. 3. Because the cylinder 9 rises as the piston II is forced therefrom it becomes possible to use a shorter cylinder than would otherwise be required were the cylinder stationary. Another reason for this novel arrangement of frame members I-l and 2-2 connected with upper frame members I5 is because of the limitation in height of the underframe above the rail, sothat if alonger cylinder 9 were used, the device would not be able to lower the underframe, after being turned over, low enough so that it would rest on the car trucks placedthereunder, Also as the adjacent ends .of frames vIl and 2-2 are raised, the outer ends thereof are lowered, also lowering the yoke 22 which pulls on chain 24, assisting in the rota-tion of U-frames I9.

1. In. aqturnoverfdevice, the combination of spaced truck-like frame members each comprising spaced side walls connected adjacent one end by across member, supporting wheels at the outer corners of each frame member, a platform pivotally supported between the ends of the side walls of, said frame members, elevating means supported upon said platform, a roller supporting frame supported upon said elevating means, links connecting the inner endsof the side walls of said frame members with said roller supporting frame, a turnover fixture rotatably supported on said roller supporting frame, and means selectively connecting said turnover fixture with the said one end of either frame member to cause said fixture to rotate as it is moved by said elevating means.

2. In a turnover. device, the combination of spaced truck-like frame members facing each other, each comprising, spaced side walls connected adjacent one end by a cross member, each supporting wheels at the outer corners thereof, a platform supported between the side walls of said frame members, the outer corners of said platform being pivoted to said side walls between the ends thereof, a fluid cylinder supported upon said platform, a piston telescopically mounted in said cylinder, a roller supporting frame supported by said piston, links connecting the inner ends of the side walls of said frame members with said supporting frame, a turnover fixture rotatably supported on said roller supporting frame, and means selectively connecting said turnover fixture with th'ebther end of either frame member to cause said fixture to rotate as it is moved by said piston.

3. In a portable turnover device, the combination of spaced U-shaped frame members, a platform pivotally supported by said frame members between the ends thereof, a roller supporting frame above said frame members, links connecting the inner ends of said frame members and roller supporting frame, a turnover fixture rotatably supported by said roller supporting frame, a fluid cylinder upon said platform having a piston therein connected to said roller supporting frame to elevate said fixture, and means selectively connecting the turnover fixture with the other end of a frame member to cause said fixture to rotate as it is moved by said piston.

4. In a portable turnover device, the combination of spaced U-shaped frame members, a platform pivotally supported by said frame members between the ends thereof, a fluid cylinder supported by said platform, a piston telescopically mounted in said cylinder, a roller supporting frame supported by saidpiston, links connecting one end of the frame members and roller supporting, frame, a turnover fixture rotatably supported by said roller supporting frame, fluid means to elevate said piston and thereby said fixture, and means selectively connecting the turnover fixture with the other end of a frame member to causesaid fixture to rotate as it is moved by said piston,

5. In a turnover device, the combination of spaced U-shaped frame members, a platform pivotally supported by said frame members between the ends thereof, a fluid cylinder supported by said platform, a piston telescopically mounted in said cylinder, a roller supporting frame supported by said piston, links connecting one end of the frame members and roller supporting frame, a turnover fixture rotatably supported by said roller supporting frame, a fluid supply to selectively force the piston from said cylinder and thereby correspondingly move said turnover fixture, whereby said cylinder is also correspondingly moved, and means selectively connecting the turnover fixture with the other end of a frame member to cause said fixture to rotate as it is moved by said piston.

FRED C. KRIEFIEMEYER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 946,636 Greene Jan. 18, 1910 1,443,890 Wright Jan. 30, 1923 1,733,988 Barnard Oct. 29, 1929 2,186,478 Dehuif Jan. 9, 1940 2,2'71/144 Schlitz et a1. Jan. 27, 1942 2,320,079 Hartwig May. 25, 1943 2,399,087 Abbott Apr. 23, 1946 2,468,326 Gleason Apr. 26, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Number -;Co untry Date 93,250 Austria Aug. 25, 1923 

